Best Surka Podcasts (2024)

1
Election security with the Committee of Seventy | Habitat for Humanity’s all-women build day 44:55

4d ago44:55

44:55

Committee of Seventy provides essential voter information, not just on how to vote, but on what happens to your ballot after it’s submitted. How can you be sure your ballot is counted? Who is at polling places assuring security and safety? Host Raquel Williams speaks with C70’s CEO, Lauren Cristella, about their work for a fair and transparent elec…

1
I’m Listening: Mental health and suicide prevention 1:06:35

6d ago1:06:35

1:06:35

Every year, KYW Newsradio and Bridging Philly present an hour-long special during Suicide Prevention Month to break down the stigma surrounding mental health. Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the US, but there is help. Host Racquel Williams and our team of reporters and anchors talk with experts about some of the biggest mental health …

1
Growing green community spaces | Fireman’s Hall Museum 44:22

11d ago44:22

44:22

PECO does more than just keep your lights on - they’re marking 20 years of their Green Region Open Space Program, which has provided over $2.5 million in grants to preserve, protect, and expand green spaces throughout southeastern Pennsylvania. Spaces like gardens and parks are vital for our physical and mental health, but they can be hard to find …

1
Advocating for Pennsylvania schools | Formerly incarcerated artists at The F.I.R.M. 49:56

18d ago49:56

49:56

Only 1 in 3 fourth graders in Pennsylvania is reading proficiently - a statistic that Teach Plus hopes to change. The organization works to improve student outcomes by empowering teachers to advocate for policy change, as well as helping to recruit a diverse teacher workforce. Laura Boyce, Teach Plus Pennsylvania’s Executive Director, joins host Ra…

1
How tracking devices are used in domestic violence | A place of healing at Still Rise Farms 37:08

26d ago37:08

37:08

Domestic abusers want to have control over their victims, and often, that involves knowing where they are at all times. Tracking devices have made that easier, and devices that look like a phone charger or a child’s toy are readily available. Amanda L. Murray, Center for Hope & Safety's Domestic Violence Liaison to New Jersey’s Division of Child Pr…

1
College parents: it’s your time, too | Life on tour with the Village People 52:27

1M ago52:27

52:27

The transition to college can be tough for both students and parents. Whether it’s your first time moving a kid into a dorm or you find yourself with an empty nest after all your kids are out of the house, life is suddenly different. Racquel Williams hosts a panel of moms and advisors to learn how to parent differently at this stage of life, avoid …

1
Exposing youth to career paths | Philly’s takes on Olympic breaking 41:09

1M ago41:09

41:09

Youth and young adults in Philadelphia can learn about career options and job skills while getting paid through C2L-PHL’s youth work programs, run by JEVS Human Services. Summer and school year job opportunities range from the medical field to government, even working with horses and people with disabilities at Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Academy. R…

1
Rebuilding the city while learning a trade | Broad Street Love’s “radical hospitality” 45:53

2M ago45:53

45:53

At 55-years-old, Marie-Monique Marthol made a life-changing decision to change careers. She learned carpentry through Rebuild’s Workforce Development Program, where participants learn trade skills while revitalizing Philadelphia’s neighborhoods. Marie-Monique joins host Racquel Williams to talk about her experience. We also hear from Rebuild’s Dire…

1
Food insecurity on the rise | Pizza with a purpose 48:08

2M ago48:08

48:08

We’ve seen a surge of people facing food insecurity since pandemic relief ended, and the numbers have not gone back down. It’s a particular issue in Philadelphia, where about 22% of people live in poverty - twice the national average. Share Food Program is the city’s leading hunger relief organization. Their executive director, George Matysik, and …

1
PA Human Relations Commission | ABA Center for kids with autism 36:15

2M ago36:15

36:15

The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission is on tour! Their “Beloved Community” tour is stopping in towns across the state to host open discussions about civil rights issues in each community. Racquel Williams speaks with Executive Director Chad Dion Lassiter to understand the purpose of this tour, the important work PHRC does, and how to reach o…

1
Dr. Ala Stanford on unifying Philadelphia against COVID | The last living member of The Blue Notes 42:19

2M ago42:19

42:19

When COVID-19 hit, Dr. Ala Stanford stepped up to help Philadelphians get access to information, testing, care, and later, vaccines. She founded the Black Doctors Consortium, and after her work gained national media attention, President Biden appointed her Regional Director of the US Department of Health and Human Services. Now, Dr. Stanford has wr…

1
Friends Select School’s anti-racist mission | Olympic gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee 40:35

2M ago40:35

40:35

While many schools have faced fights over book bans and how they teach about racism, Friends Select School in Philadelphia is taking an actively anti-racist approach to education. As a Quaker school, they follow the same philosophies that the Quakers who fought in the abolitionist movement did, and they’re able to incorporate social justice into th…

1
Best of Bridging Philly: Focus on Fathers | New: Wissahickon’s doomsday cave 30:51

3M ago30:51

30:51

The Focus on Fathers parenting education program shows new fathers how to have positive relationships with their kids. The “fathers to the fathers” try to fill in the gaps for men raised without a strong father figure in their lives, through child development education, job readiness, and mental health awareness, with remote and in-person classes. …

1
Best of Bridging Philly: Finding the right therapist | The Awbury Arboretum 33:08

3M ago33:08

33:08

Navigating the mental health care system is a challenge for the most experienced of patients, but what about people looking to see a therapist for the first time? Where do you start? Do you go to someone who matches your demographic? Is telehealth a good option? Host Racquel Williams asks these questions and more with our panel of therapists. Then …

1
A space for teens in South Philly | Smith Memorial Playground 46:14

3M ago46:14

46:14

Pennsylvania’s funding for after-school care ends when children turn 13, and many parents are concerned about where their teens can go after school and in the summer. Caring People Alliance runs a teen program and recently opened a new center at their South Philadelphia Boys & Girls Club where teens can go to get a meal, play basketball, make music…

1
Disparities in cancer care | Philly break dancing 40:15

3M ago40:15

40:15

We’ve seen tremendous progress in diagnosing and treating cancer, but not all people have benefited from that progress equally. The American Association for Cancer Research recently released their 2024 Cancer Disparities Progress Report, which highlights gaps in diagnoses, treatment, and outcomes for people in marginalized groups. What is being don…

1
Youth empowerment through international travel | West Philly birding 39:07

4M ago39:07

39:07

The experience of traveling to a different part of the world can be life-changing, but many people don’t get that opportunity because of the cost. A new initiative called Invest in Human Potential aims to take five young Black men from Philadelphia on a two-week trip to Sardinia, Italy, and empower them with the skills to become social justice warr…

1
A Juneteenth dance celebration | The “Love Letter” mural challenge 42:46

4M ago42:46

42:46

A Philadelphia performing arts organization is celebrating Juneteenth with a twist on an old tradition: the house party. Running June 20 - 22, Intercultural Journeys’ “The Re-Emancipation of Social Dance” is an interactive party-performance through five “living rooms”, inviting you to reclaim the freedom of dance. We talk with the show’s curator an…

1
Women Against Abuse | LGBTQ+ exhibit at The Fabric Museum 44:50

4M ago44:50

44:50

More than 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in the U.S. have experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Women Against Abuse aims to help domestic violence victims of all genders by providing shelters, counseling, legal services, and safety planning. Executive Director Joanna Otero-Cruz joins us along with b…

1
Teaching kids self-acceptance | “A Great Day in Philly” 33:25

4M ago33:25

33:25

Author Susanne Munn of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, says her neurodivergent son had a hard time fitting in. She wrote a poem to help him celebrate himself, and 10 years later, she’s releasing that poem as a children’s book with the help of her friend and illustrator, Amy Towers. Susanne and Amy tell us about “The Great Shape Debate”. Plus Kim Wheeler P…

1
Living with sickle cell disease | Majestic Jumpers 46:01

5M ago46:01

46:01

Tahirah Austin-Muhammad was diagnosed with sickle cell disease when she was six years old. Throughout her life, she has dealt with pain and organ failures - she’s currently on the waiting list for a kidney transplant, living on 7% kidney function. Despite that, she is raising a daughter and has helped found Crescent Foundation to provide education …

1
Teens and social media | The Howell Park “Grandma” tree 45:39

5M ago45:39

45:39

For many teens and tweens, social media is everything. It’s how they connect with friends and with the broader world - but there are a lot of dangers online. How can parents keep their kids safe from things like predators and bullying on the internet? PA State Representative Brian Munroe worked with three teenagers to write a bill that just passed …

1
Public Defender Association of Pennsylvania | The Curtis Building 50:39

5M ago50:39

50:39

The government must provide attorneys for defendants who can’t afford to hire one. Until last year, funding for those public defenders in Pennsylvania came entirely from the counties. Now, the state has set a $7.5 million budget to fund indigent defense, but public defenders’ offices are still underfunded and their staff is overworked. We speak wit…

1
Burning $2 million in medical debt on Walmart pier 24:07

5M ago24:07

24:07

Anyone who has had medical debt could tell you how unexpected and crippling it can be. What's worse, that debt can even follow your family after you die. But a group of queer activists in Philadelphia found a loophole in the system. With the help of Undue Medical Debt, they bought and forgave $2 million of medical debt, and they celebrated it in a …

1
Philly BOLT | The Free Library of Philadelphia's unusual collections 34:11

6M ago34:11

34:11

2024 KYW GameChanger Hillary Do created the non-profit BOLT (Build Our Lives Together) to support community grassroots organizations with tools, grants and knowledge to bring about change. She introduces us to Cleopatra Robinson of A Home from Shana Foundation, who is working to lower the rate of Black maternal mortality in Philadelphia, and Ron To…

1
Gift of Life Donor Program at 50 | Maple Grove Raceway 36:24

6M ago36:24

36:24

For fifty years, Gift of Life Donor Program has helped organ and tissue recipients off the transplant wait list with their growing donation network. Five years after North Philly rapper and hip-hop recording artist Freeway received a kidney, he's raising awareness about routine physicals and organ donation with his music and Freedom Thinkers Academ…

1
2024 PA primary & general election | Alexey Brodovitch: Astonish Me 38:51

6M ago38:51

38:51

Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Al Schmidt clears up myths and realities of voting, including automatic voter registration, mail-in voting, and protections for voters and election workers. Then, Barnes Foundation’s assistant curator Corrinne Chong leads a tour of the 20th-century artist who inspired commercial art at the exhibit “Alex…

1
Au Pairs as childcare | Great on Skates 33:04

6M ago33:04

33:04

As childcare wait lists grow, many busy families are opening their homes to a young person from another country as an affordable care alternative. Cultural Care Au Pair’s Natalie Jordan describes their multi-step screening process and cultural exchange benefits. Then, the number of people roller skating has increased since the pandemic, and Great O…

1
PA School funding | Uncle Bobbie's Coffee & Books 36:22

6M ago36:22

36:22

How can Pennsylvania public school students who live in a lower-income school district receive an equitable and adequate education like their affluent counterparts? Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes and education advocate Priyanka Reyes-Kaura discuss how state legislators must work with Governor Shapiro and his budget proposal to invest in …

1
Evoluer House | Girls Auto Clinic 40:59

7M ago40:59

40:59

Former fashion editor Cheryl Ann Wadlington has been mentoring urban girls to rise above their circumstances to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty for 20 years at Evoluer House with workforce, professional and personal development programs. Then, engineer Patrice Banks leads a tour of her Girls Auto Clinic in Upper Darby – an auto repair …

1
Marian Anderson Hall | Restoring Marian Anderson's home 36:19

7M ago36:19

36:19

Marian Anderson Hall will soon be the home of the Philadelphia Orchestra. President and CEO of the Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Matias Tarnopolsky, explains how updating the Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hall should reflect the diversity and demographics of Philadelphia. Then, a tour of the repair and restoration of the Marian Anderson Museu…

1
Colman Domingo and Da’Vine Joy Randolph rep Philadelphia and Temple at the 2024 Oscars 21:58

7M ago21:58

21:58

We're about to have a golden opportunity to see Philadelphians shine on a global scale: at the 2024 Academy Awards. Colman Domingo, born in West Philly, is nominated for Best Actor for his performance in "Rustin", and Da'Vine Joy Randolph, from Mount Airy, is nominated for Best Supporting Actress for "The Holdovers". Both are Temple University grad…

1
PA Youth Vote | Legacy Reclaimed: A 7th Ward Tribute 48:23

7M ago48:23

48:23

PA Youth Votes’ Angelique Hinton, Kamryn Davis and a high school senior explain how they engage future leaders with education and events programming to connect the dots between the issues they care about, voting, and holding elected officials accountable. Then, artists and curators lead a tour of the collective public art initiative, “Legacy Reclai…

1
Young Chances Foundation | Preserving Mother Bethel AME Church 45:55

7M ago45:55

45:55

South Philly’s Tyrique Glasgow shares his story about owning his South Philly neighborhood drug corner at 12 to founding the Young Chances Foundation, which provides a clothing bank, educational and feeding programs, and school supplies. Then, Rev. Mark Kelly Tyler describes how a $90,000 National Trust for Historic Preservation grant to help prese…

1
Art for all 33:41

8M ago33:41

33:41

Fine art should be experienced by all people, according to philanthropic Philadelphia art collector Albert C. Barnes. The Barnes Foundation's Martha Lucy leads a tour of modern art and African masks, demonstrating the founder's legacy of accessible and diverse arts education. Lucy has edited a new book, "The Barnes Then and Now: Dialogues on Educat…

1
Flaming chairs and hardcore heroes: the extreme story of Philly pro wrestling 34:52

8M ago34:52

34:52

The biggest event in professional wrestling is coming to Philadelphia in just a few weeks. Join super fans and KYW Newsradio staffers Andre Bennett and Tim Jimenez for this ode to the audacious; a love letter to legends of the squared circle; an appreciation for how Philly became the home of hardcore wrestling and left an indelible mark and legacy …

1
Are you ready for love? | Little Free(dom) Library 31:52

8M ago31:52

31:52

Is everyone ready for love? A relationship coach and a social worker discuss the humility, inspiration and personal growth it takes to make heterosexual, same-sex, and non-traditional couples last. Then, taking and leaving banned books by Black authors at Visit Philly's 13 Little Free(dom) Libraries. To learn more about listener data and our privac…

1
Presenting "Ricochet", from Gone Cold: Philadelphia Unsolved Murders 27:10

8M ago27:10

27:10

Introducing a new project from another KYW Newsradio Original Podcast - "Ricochet" is a mini-series from Gone Cold: Philadelphia Unsolved Murders that examines the gun violence crisis in our country through stories of unsolved shootings in Philadelphia. In the first episode, we talk with Joan Ortiz, whose 2-year-old daughter Nikolette was shot and …

1
Cecil B. Moore Freedom Fighters | The Colored Girl Museum lives on 33:44

8M ago33:44

33:44

Philadelphia’s civil rights movement included the Cecil B. Moore Freedom Fighters, the "young militants" who protested and helped desegregate Girard College, which was a school intended for “poor, white male orphans.” We hear stories of police harassment and songs of freedom from the former teenagers who followed their leader and Philadelphia NAACP…

1
NJ's doula access law | The Lullaby Project 32:05

8M ago32:05

32:05

Tammy Murphy, First Lady of New and U.S. Senate candidate, describes the new state law that protects a mother’s right to a doula throughout pregnancy, birth and postpartum. Then, creating a deeper bond between parents and young children through music with the Philadelphia Lullaby Project. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices …

1
Pa. House Speaker Joanna McClinton | Youth America Grand Prix 38:15

9M ago38:15

38:15

Pa. Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton looks back on the successes and challenges of her first year as the first woman and the first person of color to hold the gavel. With a razor-thin majority, Speaker McClinton negotiated tax credits for working families’ daycare expenses, violence reduction programs, and a public defender fund. Then, Philly …

1
Urban Navigation | MLK’s legacy of social justice 36:52

9M ago36:52

36:52

Co-founders Don Jackson and Hameen Diggins describe their community organization Urban Navigation as a GPS for urban youth that points the next generation of non-shooters towards gun education and technician training in the inner city and Philadelphia suburbs. Then, this year is the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, and Global Citizen’s Fou…

1
Benefits of Dry January | The Philly Goat Project 45:59

9M ago45:59

45:59

Dry January has become an annual international event inspiring all kinds of drinkers to leave the bottles on the shelf for 31 days. The market for mocktails, non-alcohol spirits, wines and beer is growing, and there are "safe spaces" for those who choose not to drink, but still want to be social. We learn about the benefits of temporary abstaining …

1
Bridging Philly 2023 Highlights 36:06

9M ago36:06

36:06

Bridging Philly Host and Executive Producer Racquel Williams, "Shara in the City” Reporter Shara Dae Howard, and Producer Patty McMahon look back at their favorite guests and topics from 2023. Segments include Cambodian refugee-turned-Secret-Service officer Leth Oun, FarmerJawn's urban agriculture, and a road trip to Ocean City, N.J. to meet the fa…

1
Philly holiday food traditions | Black & Brown-owned small biz shopping 33:09

9M ago33:09

33:09

Have you eaten catfish and waffles? Turtle soup? As we now enjoy an enormous variety of food, these dishes are part of Philly’s culinary history. Origins of the city’s food traditions are rooted in the cultural melting pot that includes the African diaspora and the Pennsylvania Dutch. Chef & Culinary Educator Joy Parham and Elwood Restaurant Chef &…

1
Food as medicine | Philly's hip-hop pioneers 36:24

10M ago36:24

36:24

How do the chronically ill access the proper nutrition to get better? The Philadelphia non-profit Manna prepares and delivers medically tailored meal plans to patients with everyday conditions like cancer, heart disease and more. CEO and dietician Sue Daugherty, Thomas Jefferson University's Dr. Kristin Rising, and a client who has thrived with the…

1
This Black female cannabis pioneer is cultivating a budding industry 28:24

10M ago28:24

28:24

Recreational adult use of marijuana has been legal for over a year and a half in New Jersey, but small businesses still struggle to break into the industry, even if they were operating underground before. Sabrina Boyd-Surka visits the first Black, woman-owned cannabis manufacturing business in Delaware and the first independent edibles brand on she…

1
Aging together | The Arden's BFG (Big Friendly Giant) 39:13

10M ago39:13

39:13

The Golden Years are not as bright as promised. Many seniors have reduced income, and health issues, are often full-time caretakers for their grandchildren, and increasingly experience social isolation and loneliness. For 40 years, the Philadelphia non-profit SOWN has helped older adults age together with peer support so that no one has to be alone…

1
Holiday manners & etiquette | The Colored Girls Museum 45:02

10M ago45:02

45:02

Are your table manners ready for holiday parties in friends’ homes or out in restaurants? From knowing who and what to tip to bringing a gift to a host, Founder and Director of the Delaware Valley School of Etiquette, Dorlisa Goodrich Young, and longtime hospitality worker and artist, Jere Edmonds, guide us through the skills to avoid social embarr…

1
The Torah, gender barriers, and new traditions 28:13

10M ago28:13

28:13

When Bec Richman started out in rabbinical school, she felt lost. What was she going to do with herself? Then, her vision became clear: she wanted to learn how to scribe. The only problem was, tradition stood in her way. According to Jewish law, only men could be scribes, but Rabbi Bec and other non-male aspiring scribes like her worked around the …

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